


tender heart

by sundrymunity



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, if you haven't played that don't read, really only the first two are big but the others appear minorly, spoilers obv, true pacifist end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-12 13:52:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5668363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sundrymunity/pseuds/sundrymunity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>frisk decides a number of things, but the most important of all is that <i>no one</i> deserves to be left alone</p>
            </blockquote>





	tender heart

**Author's Note:**

> hi!! this is my first fic to the undertale fandom, after marathoning the game on a whim and falling head over heels for a very sad goat child that i wanted to stay with until the end of time. so i wrote a story about it, exploring the possibility that asriel doesn't immediately disintegrate or turn back into flowey or whatever it is that happens.
> 
> i hope you enjoy!

_I have places to go,_ you told Toriel. She'd been sad. You could see it clearly on her face, in her eyes, and a pang of guilt throbs in your SOUL as she turns and leaves you.

But it's the truth. You would have loved to stay with her -- she was a good mother, a fine friend -- but your feet itch more than they've ever had before, the need to walk and wander and _explore_ stronger now more than ever. The Underground had opened up new possibilities to you. It'd allowed you a freedom you hadn't experienced before, meeting new people (as odd as they were sometimes, as aggressive and misunderstanding as it could be) and seeing new things (while Waterfall had been beautiful and quaint in its own way, Snowdin still ranks up in your highest spots for the familiarity of it above all), and you didn't want to give that up just yet.

Why had you climbed Mt. Ebott, where _everyone_ knew you wouldn't return from? The first fallen child hadn't been very happy. The second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh may have had their reasons as well, whether similar to the first's or to your own.

You, the eighth child, had wanted to see if it was true.

If there really _were_ bloodthirsty monsters, if you really _wouldn't_ come back, and with little to lose you'd found yourself tumbling right down a hole and staring up at the circle of blue above you, sunlight pouring across the golden flowers you'd recognized as the ones in the park back home. You'd liked those a lot too.

In the Underground you found so many different things... it hadn't worn down your spirit, it had _bolstered_ it, had _encouraged_ your passion for adventuring and treasure hunting, for learning about the stories in the world and to see what was true and false.

And even months afterwards, being able to hang out with everyone and playing the part of ambassador between humanity and the monsters, you found your thoughts turning back to that grand adventure you'd had, to the places you'd seen, to... Asriel.

You wonder if he's lonely down there. If he's able to hold his form. If he's a flower again.

You grip the video camera you're holding and put it in a bag full of clothes and snacks.

 

You remember the way to where the barrier was like you've walked it a hundred times. You turn around to see the world again, the city off in the distance, and your SOUL aches with guilt just like it had that day. ' _Sorry_ ,' you mouth to everyone back home, ' _I have places to go._ '

New Home is still, well, new. You know there's still monsters who haven't quite been able to step outside just yet and you greet them cordially when you pass. They recognize you and ask how you've been, how the king and queen are, things like that; you answer each and every one to the best of your ability, deflecting the question of _Why are you down here?_ with a look towards the cavern ceilings and a mentioning of how it's time for you to go.

The Riverperson (you've nicknamed them Charon in your head) is still here. They've got nowhere else to go, so to say, because their business is down here with the river. There's no need for river people up on the surface, they know, because there's been pictures that float down that show off boats you don't need a river person for.

You tell Charon that in Italy there's gondola that run with river people and they seem considerate of it, then continue singing as you go down stream from Hotland to Snowdin.

The snow crunches beneath your feet with every step, still amazing to you even now. Be all means, Hotland should be the lowest point of the mountain; magma is present closer to the center of the Earth, after all, and snow only forms at the higher peaks of mountains around here, yet Snowdin is the lowest and Hotland the highest. Waterfall, where they two meet, is perfect either way. It's water.

But it's probably magic-based, you think.

The snow's loud in the silence.

 

Home is still, well, home. No one stays in the ruins now. The monsters have made their way to Waterfall now, an area perfect for them, since Snowdin was too cold and Hotland too hot. You brush off Chariel on your way around the house, cleaning up where you can and falling into Toriel's old bed with an exhaustion that curls you up tight.

(The one in your old room is too small for you now, which is such an odd feeling considering how deeply you slept the first time you'd lain there).

When you wake up, you don't know if it's day or night. How long you've been down here. It took a normal person from morning til twilight to reach the barrier, just about, and with you having set off early in the morning yourself you figure it must be somewhere a little past midnight. Maybe. You're not completely sure, but it feels like it.

On your way out, you snag Toriel's old watering can.

The rest of the ruins you _do_ know like the back of your hand; you've been through these traps a number of times, just for fun back when you were still stuck here, and it's paid off. Approaching the corridor to where you'd first landed fills you with renewed DETERMINATION, grip tightening on the water can as you dip it into the river and pull it back up with all your might, not minding the wetness that spills onto your shirt and pants. They'll get wet anyway, you think.

You wonder where Asriel sleeps, anyway.

... In the flowers, apparently, judging from how he's curled up in them, the golden dust flecking across his furry cheeks. You drop your bag at the edge of the circle and stare at the watering can, wondering if you should use it right now or save it for later.

You decide to use it right now.

"-- Hey, stop, that's cold!" Asriel yelps, rolling away from your watery assault on his face. He splutters a few times, wiping his fur dry with a sleeve, and opens his mouth to say something--

Only to stop when he sees you.

"... Frisk." You set the watering can aside. "What are you doing here?" Asriel takes a step back, but you move forward and wrap your arms around him. He hesitates, but returns it once your grip tightens. "You have better things to do up on the surface, don't you?"

You explain to him that you wanted to see how he was doing. Asriel leans back, paws on your shoulders, and blinks. You continue, saying that the Underground is still interesting to a traveler like yourself, and smile widely when he scrunches his nose.

"I don't really see why... It's just the Underground, after all," in the true fashion of someone who's live here their whole life. As shortened as it is again. "So you're just here to explore more?"

You nod, then leave him to drag over the bag. Inside is a video camera, several changes of clothes, human snacks, and a box. He takes the box when you offer it and tilts his head, asking if it's for him.

The two of you sit in the circle of golden flowers and you idly finger one of them, feeling the smoothness of the petals and wondering how they'd managed to break your fall in the first place. Asriel taps a rhythm on the box, nervously paced but a tune you recognize from Waterfall, and you ask him if he's going planning on opening it or just practicing to be in Mettaton's band on the surface. He laughs a little, trailing off at the end, and you know your joke's fallen a little flat.

"Um, yeah. Yeah! I will." His claws scratch at the box and he pauses when he realizes the weird sound it makes isn't very pleasant to either of you, tapping it again. "What's inside?"

You tell him it's a surprise. Worry flashes across his face, and you can see he's having a hard time keeping it at bay even knowing that you're not like the first fallen child at all.

(You wonder if he _does_ miss that person sometimes. They had seemed pretty close, even if they hadn't been the greatest friend.)

When he opens it, your face breaks out in a hopeful smile, and he sniffles loudly as the gentle scent of butterscotch-cinnamon pie wafts up to great you both. It's lukewarm now, but it's still good. You had a small piece of it before you came in. Asriel notices this too but doesn't call you out on it, just mumbling a quiet _thank you_ and takes the spoon you offer to eat it with.

It's a beautiful night. The birds are quiet, the stars are shining high in the sky above you, and you feel Asriel's tension fades bite by bite. When he's done he sets the box aside, spoon within, and leans back on his hands to watch the stars with you. There's not many and you can't see a lot above in the first place -- too many trees on the mountain for that -- but he probably remembers them from when was able to step outside of the barrier himself.

"Have you ever been to the Wishing Caves?" He asks, and just before you answer with an of course he shakes his head. "Wait, yeah, of course you have. You had to pass through there."

Asriel pauses and rest your chin on your knees, watching him. He really hasn't aged at all. Maybe it's because he's technically just a wandering soul given some amount of form. Maybe it's because his parents are too far away. You tilt your head this way and that, trying to figure out what Boss Monsters really are, and stop when he asks you a question.

"What did you wish for?"

... What did you wish for... It'd just been to get out then, hadn't it? To escape Undyne's merciless wrath? To find someplace safe to hide?

The first time, maybe.

The second time it'd been for Tem to go to college.

Then to be able to make it through the Hotlands with a killer robot a step ahead of you.

... You went a while without going through it again then... but the last time you'd walked through there, before you left, to say goodbye to everyone... You'd wished for everything to work out well on the surface.

You tell him the last one.

Asriel laughs a little, like he expected it, and ends it with a hum. "... Yeah... I thought you might. Not because you're predictable, Frisk, but because you're kind."

It sounds like he has more to say... so you let him sit in silence, watching the shadows of the trees wave above you.

"... .... ... You know, I made a wish too, once." He adjust his position, laying on his back with his hands on his stomach, and you recognize the motion of rubbing his fingers as one that Asgore has as well -- though it's with rings included. "I wished... that Chara and I would be able to see the stars together. On the surface." You lay down beside him, hands tucked under your head, and he gathers himself before he continues. "It's a little strange, though. When I... when Chara and I, together, stepped outside of the barrier, the stars weren't as impressive as I thought they'd be. Chara kept us moving like they weren't that big a deal either, but when I got control back and looked up they looked just like the shining stones in the Wishing Caves. So I guess Chara was right."

You recall listening to echo flowers repeat a conversation like that. You mention it to him and he pulls at the fur around his face, groaning.

"Yeah, that was us! It's so _old_ though! Either no one passed through there in a while or a pair of people had the same idea _we_ did... Maybe it's not the same conversation, but they _did_ laugh at me too. They said the stars weren't that special at all."

You tell Asriel you think the stars are nice. They've always helped guide you here and there, where your map would fail you, and he listens intently to your stories of the outside. When you're through with a thrilling one involving a ticking crocodile, he laughs.

"That sounds like the kind of person you'd meet down here! Is it from a book?" Caught in the act, you nod sheepishly. "I knew it. There's no way you guys could've had something like that up there, not when the rest of us were stuck down here for so long."

You ask him if he'd like to borrow it, because you can get the book from him on the surface. It's very popular. He thinks about it and shakes his head.

"I don't know how much longer I have like this, Frisk. The next time you come down here I... I might..."

... Be a flower again. Be gone forever. You take one of his hands and squeeze it, his paw pads warm despite his state of being, to reassure him that even then you'll bring it back and read it to him. Asriel has tears in his eyes, but he tries to wipe them away before you can see. Big kids don't cry, after all.

"Th-- Thanks, but, I think it's better if you don't come down here again anyway." He sniffles, turning his face away, and rubs the back of your hand with his thumb. "Everyone'll worry, and... there's nothing for you down here anyway."

You reply that he's still here. Asriel whines lightly, shaking his head, and his grip tightens. You return it.

"You're really nice, Frisk." It's soft, but you can hear it in the quiet of the ruins. "Thanks. I mean it."

You decide to pass through the Wishing Caves on your way out.

 

✿

 

"I told you not to come back, didn't I?"

You're standing at the edge of the room, staring at Asriel's back, with a book in your hands. He's tending to the flowers like he always does, always has since that day, and you wonder what "tending" entails, exactly. Does he prune them? Water them? Protect them from whatever comes in? From what you remember, monsters were the only living things besides the trees on the mountain.

... Does he take care of the humans that might fall down?

You ask him if he does. Asriel perks up at the question, turning around in surprise, and you can see he's grasping flowers in his claws. You think it might be a flower crown.

"I... I haven't seen any yet, and I don't know what'll happen if I do, but..." He seems hesitant. You carefully approach him, setting the book at the edge of the flower circle and taking the crown from him. It's half made, so you start to finish it. "Maybe... I might be gone by then, though... but I wouldn't want them to be alone either."

You think on it. If he were to turn back into a flower, as the compassionless Flowey or just one of the ones you're picking now, then humans could wander up here, fall down, and never return if they wanted to... But it wouldn't be good if they wanted to stay here, either. People would miss them. People would worry. People would blame themselves for not being able to see it earlier, and they might end up here, too.

You tell him that he should help anyone who falls down, on purpose or by accident. You believe in him.

Asriel thanks you again, just like he did the other day, and you set the finished crown on his head. He smiles. You pretend not to see his tears.

 

Peter Pan's a nice story. There's a lot that Asriel understands about it, some parts of it hitting almost too close to home, but you can see from the worn backing of the book that he's read it a lot since the last time you came. There's still great care in how he handles it too, how he hands it back to you, and laughs off his embarrassment when you tell him not to regift.

You ask him if he's met another human yet. He shakes his head.

"Just you," he says, eyes focused on the book he's read once, twice, hundreds of times by now. You can tell. "You're the only one, Frisk."

 

One day, you ask him if he'd like to go to the Wishing Caves with you. He doesn't know if he can even leave the ruins, much less travel all the way to Waterfall. When you mention Charon, he laughs at your naming sense.

"I don't think they'd appreciate you calling them that... Um... Charon's the person who boats around the dead, right? It's kind of tasteless for you to say that, Frisk."

It's just a joke, you tell him, and his mouth snaps shut.

"... Yeah..."

You ask him what's wrong. He shakes his head, hunching his shoulders and reading Peter Pan again. You feel like you've said something wrong...

...

...

... but try as you may, you can't figure it out.

 

You haven't stopped visiting for a month. When Toriel asks you, worry in her tone, where you've been so many times, you tell her you've been seeing old friends. It's not untrue. She's skeptical, but as long as you don't bring back more than the usual amount of wear and tear there's no reason for her to call you out...

... and besides, you think she might approve of this anyway. She'd just want to come herself, and Asriel's still too pained to be able to let either of his parents see him the way he is now. He's hurt them too much.

This time is a little different though. You make your way the same as you always have, through New Home and the resort, through the Core and Hotland, giving Ferryman (you decided that maybe Charon _was_ a little distasteful, how he'd pass along the dead from one side to the other) news of the surface and asking if they'd come up again. Their reply is the same as always and you leave it be, listening to the rhythmical splashes of the boat's form of the hour as you three jog down the river.

Then, they say something a little odd...

"Tra la la," they start, in time with every second beat, just like their following words. "It seems the Underground's a little quieter these days... I wonder where he's gone?"

You feel dread crawl up your back.

When you reach Home, you call Asriel's name. Nothing stirs. Maybe he's in the garden, you think, like usual.

Just to be safe, you check every room.

Asriel _is_ in the garden, and relief throws you into his back. He squawks, falling forward, and his question is muffled by the golden flowers. You shake your head. You end up staying like that, comforted by the twilight and the warmth beneath you, the feeling of Asriel's hand patting your head though he doesn't know why.

You ask him if he'd tell you if he felt he was fading.

"I don't know if I'll know if I am." The admittance makes you tense, tightening your grip on his paw, and he winces slightly. You let go some. "But of course, Frisk! I wouldn't want you to come down here," not that he ever does, "only to find the part of me I hate."

So he _would_ turn back into Flowey. You tell him that you'll come anyway. He smiles, but you can tell his heart's not in it. You decide to change the topic.

 

One day, Asriel mentions that he's been sleeping outside a lot more recently. The flowers are nice. The sun's comforting, what little comes through the hole. This might be the fading, he says. When he's turning back into a flower.

You feel hesitation in the wings, but shake it off and squeeze his paw. You'll be there when it happens, you tell him. You won't leave him again.

"You're really nice, Frisk, but..." Asriel's smile grows pained, eyes downcast as his other hand hides in the flowers. "Just leave me for real this time, okay? There won't be anything left of me if you come back."

You decide another trip through the Wishing Caves is necessary on your way back up.

 

"HUMAN, I MEAN, FRISK!!" Papyrus is as loud as ever, drawing a crowd. You feel guilty as you smile, the skeleton bounding up to greet you. "TORIEL," because he's learned by now that she's _not_ Asgore's clone, "HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU!! LET'S GO TOGETHER! I, PAPYRUS, WILL ESCORT YOU."

You wonder what she could want. You accept his offer of ESCORTMENT and keep a grip on his hand -- both to keep him from wandering off to meet someone new and to keep from backtracking yourself.

Toriel greets you two at the front of her school for monsters and children, Ebott Elementary, and you admire the building while she and Papyrus chat. It certainly has grown taller since the last time you came by. It has a lot of drawings on it too, from every kind of child no matter their species, and you hear Undyne giving orders in Gym Class even this far away.

... Asriel would've loved it up here.

"Frisk," she finally addresses you, and you notice Papyrus has been sent inside to take care of her class while she's gone. You wonder if that's a good idea. The last time he had a class of his own, he ended up on the receiving end of so many bone jokes his head spun. "May I ask something of you? It is rather odd, and though I would rather you tell me without my asking..."

Oh. You know what it's about before she even completes her request.

"... but would you tell me what happened that day? When you fell unconscious and the barrier came down."

You warn her that it's a long story. She thought it might be, so she had prepared some tea and pie just in case.

... You can't say no.

You tell her it all -- about Asriel, her son, about his transformation from Flowey into what can only be describes as a twelve year old's OC (though you don't say these words _exactly_ , you simple address it as a "powerful being" you had little hope of beating), the great flash of white light and what it meant, and how it all ended. You tell her how you met him again before you all went to the outside, how you've been going back there every other day to see him, and as the day grows shorter, the tea colder, plates emptier, Toriel's expression shifts from realization to understanding, from curiosity to regret, and she heaves a quiet sigh when you're finished.

"I see... Thank you, my child, for telling me all of this." She wipes her eyes and takes your hand. It's warm. "It must have been very hard to shoulder all of this yourself. As for Asriel... as for my son, thank you for keeping him company. He has never liked to be alone, and I would very much like to see him again." Toriel pauses, lips tightening for a moment as she sighs a little more wearily. "Asgore would as well, I'm sure."

He still isn't fully forgiven -- will never be, maybe, for what had happened to those children -- but things have been a little better now, with his actions showing his change and attitude. They've at least taken tea together with others. You think Asgore would be over the moon to see his son again, and you ask if it'd be alright to bring him along if she's planning on coming next time to the Underground.

Though she looks a little irritated, she nods. Asgore has as much of a right to this as she does.

 

It ends up being quite the party. Sans had overheard, mentioned that you were hiding something from Papyrus, and Papyrus forced the entire thing out of you as well. He told Undyne, who told Alphys, who wrote a dramatization down that Mettaton ended up performing as an opening act for their band with Naptsablook and Shyren, and now Ferryman was trying to decide who could go when on their boat.

You're going first, of course.

You ask Ferryman if it's alright to go a little slower when bringing the others around, since you'd like to talk to Asriel first and see how he's doing, and they give you their word, a smile behind their hood.

Asriel's taking care of the plants in Home when you arrive from downstairs, the watering pail clattering to the ground in shock. You start to joke that it looks like he's seen a ghost when you see his feet, vines wrapped around them and going up his pants, how it extends from beneath his collar and at the edges of his sleeves. He immediately hides his hands and forces a grin to the front.

"Hi, Frisk! How's the surface?"

You tell him it's fine, and then ask about the vines. Is he turning back into a flower already?

"I..." His hands reappear, only to twist at the hem of his sweater. There's vines beneath that too. "I guess so. It's not painful," he reassures you, "but it's kind of like there's something draining out of me... I feel more tired these days."

Asriel shrugs and you're not sure what to say, thinking about everyone that's coming up to see the Dreemurr prince. This isn't going to end well.

"Do you wanna go to the garden? It's blooming really well today! And... And you said, Frisk, that... if the end was coming, you'd stay with me... Right?"

He looks between hopeful and uncertain, probably wondering if you've backtracked at the sight of him. You climb the rest of the stairs, help clean up the mess, and go out to the garden.

The two of you sit in the flowers, Peter Pan at the edge of it, the title worn off almost completely by now. The sunlight streams in pleasantly. Birds are singing, unaware of what's happening below, and the golden petals hiding your joined hands seem to soak up every last bit of Asriel's strength. He ends up leaning against you and you can feel the vines beneath his thick sweater, running your fingers across the ones on his paws, and wait for the others to inevitably arrive.

But first...

"I... I didn't want you to see me like this either, Frisk. I thought of closing the ruin door again. Of hiding away someplace. But... it didn't feel right." He squeezes your hand, a little less warm than it was just the other day. "It didn't feel right to lock you out after everything you'd done for me, for the Underground. So I couldn't. And now you have to see me like this."

You wonder if you should mention the others, or if you should stay quiet. You decide to squeeze back, chest pained, and tell him very, very quietly about the surprise that's coming down the river now.

The reaction is instant and it _hurts_. Asriel pushes away, anger and betrayal in every part of his expression, and you reach for him. He only moves farther.

"How could you?!" He's yelling, fists in balls and the vines seemingly growing. "How _could you_ , Frisk?! You know I didn't want them to see, that I--"

"My child?"

The room holds its breath. You let yours out, relief and appreciation stronger than ever for Toriel, and the steps come forward until they're just shuffles in the flower patch that has grown so large in the span of time. Asriel had joked that they were looking for a way out. You thought so too.

His expression is panicked and upset, wide eyes and trembling lip as he stares past you. You feel Toriel at your side, paused midstep, before she comes forward and wraps her arms around Asriel.

"Oh, my poor son. What has _happened_ to you?"

Asriel blubbers out a few words, but they're so muffled that you can't hear. You turn your head and see Sans from the hallway, one bony hand raised in a wave. So Asgore was coming next, then. That's good. Having _both_ his parents at the same time might be too much for the poor kid.

Toriel and her son sit in the flowers, her caressing the vines that press into his fur and him leaning into her body, so you leave them to it and go to talk to Sans. He's smiling like always, but there's a hint of surprise in his expression this time as well.

"So, kid, this is what you've been keeping hidden from us?" You nod, apologizing. He shakes his head. "Nah, I get it. My brother won't be that forgiving." Sans closes an eye, grinning wider. "He's escorting King Fluffybuns over."

You can't wait. It's not even sarcastic, you _really_ can't wait, because Asriel seems to be in a lighter mood despite Toriel's chiding and the tears that wet her clothes. You wonder how he'll feel seeing Asgore again.

Whatever the feeling, Asgore doubles it, giving a cry at the sight of the two and stumbling forth to hug them both -- Toriel doesn't even flinch, cuddling their son to her chest, and you can barely see Asriel between the two of them. Papyrus clacks around the corner afterwards, stopping when he sees the scene and narrowing his eye sockets at Asriel.

"SAY..." He starts in a loud whisper. "IS THAT AN ACTUAL ASGORE CLONE?"

You shake your head and Sans snorts, leaning back on his heels.

"Nope. That's Tori's kid."

"AH. YES. I SEE THE RESEMBLANCE NOW!! HE LOOKS JUST LIKE HIS MOTHER, IT'S VERY SWEET!" He takes a long step forward, then backtracks with another loud whisper. "WHY HAVEN'T WE SEEN HIM BEFORE? I THOUGHT FOR SURE HE'D BE AROUND JUST LIKE HIS PARENTS."

Sans answers before you do, patting his brother's back. "He's a shy kid. You should... make friends with him."

You agree. Asriel could use a friend like Papyrus. A very good, a very best friend. Papyrus beams and strides up to the Dreemurr family, pulling all three into a hug and excitedly talking to Asriel. The boy's not sure what to make of Papyrus, but whatever Toriel whispers into his ear seems to work as he cautiously answers back. He might not have much time left, but you hope that they become friends in the meanwhile.

Undyne and Alphys are next, the first slamming her fist onto her hand in clear recognition.

"YO!! Asriel!! It's been a while, little guy, you're looking less dead than you did before!"

"UNDYNE!! THAT IS VERY RUDE OF YOU TO SAY. ASRIEL IS STILL DYING." You gasp at Papyrus's words-- "DYING OF BOREDOM!! I'M GOING TO TEACH HIM HOW TO COOK. WOULD YOU JOIN ME?"

"YEAH, DUH!! Come on, Alphys, the kid's more harmless than you."

You hear Alphys murmur something about _moe_ and how this is _just_ like one of her anime, or something out of a fanfiction, and laugh. It catches Asriel's attention and he looks away guiltily. You ask Alphys where Mettaton is, since they'd come down with you too.

"Oh, they, uh... They decided to take their statue from the resort. So they're busy with that... I told them that, you know, we don't have anywhere to put it, but... They said they were going to put it on stage."

Figures.

Undyne and Papyrus take turns talking to Asriel, the first nooging him when she gets close and the second getting a noogie as well when he protests her treatment of his new friend, and Sans makes his way over to Toriel and Asgore to watch from the sides. Alphys takes a little encouraging, but you manage to get her to go over as well, and though she's nervous and sweating she asks Asriel quietly about some of his interests. You leans back against the wall, fingering the heart locket you'd never given up inside your shirt, and decide to rescue Asriel from the clutches of those two energetic beings.

You tell them that Asriel isn't staying for long (Toriel and Asgore know this, as pained as it is) and that you promised him something, but they're all welcome to stay too. Asriel's eyes go wide and he shakes his head.

"N--No! Frisk, I wouldn't mind you, but-- But I can't--"

"My son," Asgore's booming voice interrupts, and he takes one of his son's paws in his large one. "Please. These are all good people who, though they have only met you, have only now known your story, wish to stay with you. You will not be alone any longer."

Asriel shakes his head, tears spilling from his eyes, and Toriel takes his other hand.

"He's right, Asriel. For once." Asgore winces, laughing softly, and she smiles down on her son. "Please let us stay with you. It is my last request to you, my child. Nobody deserves to be alone."

"THE QUEEN IS RIGHT!! NOBODY SHOULD BE ALONE!! AND WITH US HERE, YOU WON'T BE!"

"Yup."

"SANS!! SAY SOMETHING ELSE!! THAT'S JUST LAZY."

Sans shrugs. "What can I say? I'm not the one he's got a bone to pick with."

"SANS!!!"

Asriel seems to forget his guilt for a moment as he casts a curious glance at you, and you wave it off. They're always like this.

Undyne noogies Asriel again. "Don't really know what's gonna happen, but we're DEFINITELY not gonna let you do it alone!"

"Y--Yeah! Frisk, um, Frisk gathered us all because they didn't want you to be alone!" Well, you hadn't really _gathered_ them... But you decide not to say this. It'd ruin the moment that Alphys is clearly having.

You feel kind of odd, coming over last, but it's fine. You sit in front of Asriel, adding your hand to the pile, and tell him that you're happy you were able to meet him. It wasn't the best circumstances. It wasn't for the best reasons. But you're happy.

The vines have grown more into the ground now. There's no way Asriel could leave even if he wanted to. The flowers seem to have grown, too, or are at least attracted to him, and he hiccups his words out. "I'm... I'm happy too, Frisk! I'm happy you did this too, I'm sorry I was mad, I'm sorry that I hurt you, I'm sorry--"

"That's enough, my child," Toriel murmurs, nuzzling his head. "Frisk knows. Just relax, and we will be here for you. You may rest now."

You confirm it when Asriel looks up, fur still wet, and he gives a shuddering sigh as he nods. He leans into Toriel, closing his eyes. It's not easy to watch. The vines draw him more and more away, despite how hard they clutch at his hands, how much you want to try and SAVE him, but as he'd said what feels like ages ago he turns into a flower.

It's not Flowey. But it's not sentient either. It's just a flower, big and golden and bowing towards the dying sunlight, unaware of the pain (some quiet, some loud and obnoxiously sobbing) in the room. You touch the petals and rub your fingers together, admiring the golden dust that comes off, and look around at all of your friends. It's true. No matter how long they had known Asriel, they were grieving as if they'd known him far longer. You feel your SOUL swell and you see one last choice before you.

You decide that you're going to come every day to tend the flowers.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading!


End file.
